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July 27, 2006
When the Desketeers make a promise they keep it!
We promised that we would leave behind our Paul Newman obsession and while some of us wanted more
(You know who you are! Snap out of it!) we are moving in a different direction.
Our Cirque De Cinema pick of the week is The Milagro Beanfield War. Now, granted it is directed by hottie bud of our boy Paul, Robert Redford, but it is a different path for us.
When a developer comes to a sleepy little New Mexican town and offers up all sorts of construction jobs to its denizens, it seems to be the answer to the local Hispanic farmer's prayers. That is until they realize that it will end their way of life forever. When one of them begins to "borrow" water from a large constructiuon site to irrigate his bean field, cultures and ideals collide with unexpected results.
The cast includes Sonia Baga, Ruben Blades, Melanie Griffith, Daniel Stern and a Desketeer all time favorite, Christopher Walken.
It was filmed on location in New Mexico and it has some really wonderful and evocative scenery going on. And just remember, unlike here it is DRY heat, thank you very much.
Stay cool and Happy Weekend!
Posted by JenniferD at 03:46 PM
July 21, 2006
"Fat man, you shoot a great game of pool."
We are stuck.
And quite frankly, we like it.
We got sucked into the Newman Vortex last week and we can't get out.
Our Cirque De Cinema pick of the week is The Hustler with, of course, our latest obsession, Paul Newman, George C. Scott, Piper Laurie, and Jackie Gleason.
When Eddie Felson (our boy Paul) takes on Minnesota Fats (Gleason) and loses all in a pool match it would appear that he has hit bottom. Enter agent Bert Gordon (Scott) who offers to help him break into the big time. But at what cost? Is he willing to sacrifice his love (Laurie) and his soul?
This movie is so amazingly atmospheric that you will find yourself squinting through the smoke to see those great pool shots. And of course Paul himself!
We promise next week we will move on, but please just let us dream a little longer.
Happy Weekend!
Posted by JenniferD at 11:11 AM
July 20, 2006
Fame has come to call for one of our Desketeers!
We here at the desk are puffed with pride for Desketeer Blaine who has a speaking role in a major motion picture!
And believe me when I tell you that the Desketeers don't like to puff.
It ruins the lines of our outfits.
He wrapped up filming last week and now has a credit for it on imbd.com! Not to mention some really good stories.
Click here to see it for yourself Before The Devil Knows You're Dead and join us in our happiness for one of our own.
Posted by JenniferD at 02:22 PM | Comments (1)
July 14, 2006
All right then, run, lady, and you keep on running. Buy yourself a bus ticket and disappear. Change your name, dye your hair, get lost - and then maybe, just maybe, you're gonna be safe from me.
Oh my!
Our Cirque de Cinema pick of the week is "Long Hot Summer" starring Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, Anthony Franciosa, Orson Wells, Lee Remick and Angela Lansbury.
Shot on location in Louisiana this film is based on three of William Faulkner's stories. When drifter Ben Quick (Newman) wanders into Frenchmen's Bend he becomes entangled with the wealthiest family in town, in particular the spinster daughter Clara (Woodward). With the encouragment of her father ( Welles) he begins trying to court her with some very steamy results.
This was the first on screen pairing of Newman and Woodward and their electricity fairly leaps off the screen at you. In fact, when production was over, they married.
So since it is so Louisiana like in the weather department, pour yourself a glass of sweet tea and settle yourself in for a great story.
As an aside, the Desketeers think that Paul never looked better. Such a hottie!
Happy Weekend!
Posted by JenniferD at 10:14 AM
July 12, 2006
Dear God What Were They Thinking: Part 2???!!!!!
Yes, we turn to books to educate us, enlighten our minds to the world around us and for escape. Books can also provide cautionary tales worth heeding. Snarky comments that make you laugh out loud is just icing on the Fish Balls.
Take The Amazing Mackerel Pudding Plan: Classic Diet Recipe Cards from the 1970s by Wendy McClure as an example of the latter. When helping to clean out her parent's home she came across a series of recipe cards from Weight Watchers. Apparently, this was something that you could subscribe to. Pay the money and every month some of these gems would come your way.
And what gems these are! Rosy Perfection Salad, Sloppy Joes Manila (YES! Phillipino Sloppy Joes! Who knew?), and Marcy's "Enchilada". You all need to know however, that Desketeer Marcy swears that she would never put her name on such an abomination. We believe her. You should too.
I personally am of the belief that just looking at something entitled "Liver Pate En Masque" was enough to put any thinking person off his/her feed, and presto! weight loss!
Have a gander. I think that you will agree.
Posted by JenniferD at 02:43 PM
July 06, 2006
Ok, we admit it.
Our crystal ball utterly failed us when it came to the World Cup. And some of us Desketeers (you know who you are! snap out of it!) are going around with long faces and heavy hearts.
So, our Cirque de Cinema pick of the week is "Bossa Nova" the charming sleeper from 2000 starring Amy Irving and Antonio Fugundes.
Set in Rio de Janeiro, Irving plays Mary Ann Simpson, a widowed American ex-pat teaching English at a private school. When she meets attorney Pedro Paulo (Fugundes) who is in the middle of his own divorce, romance blossoms and ripples out to their friends and colleagues.
The breath-taking scenery and wonderful bossa nova standards, along with the charming love story, will help to heal even the most mournful soccer fan. And anyway, it is time to move on to Wimbledon.
Happy Weekend!
Posted by JenniferD at 02:14 PM | Comments (4)